In the Explaining a Concept Paper, you will simply want to explain a concept of your choice, using research to support your explanations/definitions. This paper should be at least 4-6 pages long, it should include at least two sources, and it should accomplish the following:
*Inform your particular audience about a specific subject.
*Present information confidently and efficiently.
*Use established information for support, as well as personal “evidence” (if applicable) such as short anecdotes and examples from your own experience, or the experience of others.
*Maintain an informative tone (not an argumentative tone, as this is not an argumentative or persuasive paper).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Papers on the following topics will not be accepted:
* abortion
* capital punishment
* euthanasia
These topics are far too controversial for the Explaining a Concept Research Paper, which should be informative (not persuasive) in its purpose. Also, I’ve already read more papers on these topics than anyone should in an entire lifetime, so I won’t read anymore. I encourage you to be more creative in selecting your topic.
The following course competencies are emphasized in this unit:
* Employ planning strategies that are effective for a variety of writing tasks, including, but not limited to journaling, listing, freewriting, brainstorming, clustering, reporter’s questioning. (Outcome A, Competency #1)
* Organize an essay using outlining strategies. (Outcome B, Competency #2)
* Write an opinionated, focused thesis statement and topic sentences for a specific audience and purpose. (Outcome B, Competency #3)
* Compose a thesis that will address a specific audience. (Outcome B, Competency #4)
* Adequately test a hypothesis to determine whether it is specific and well-focused. (Outcome B, Competency #5)
* Demonstrate mastery of a variety of organizational methods appropriate to the writing task, such as comparison/contrast, cause/effect, definition, problem/solution, classification, and process analysis. (Outcome C, Competency #6)
* Compose introductions that address a specific audience and introduce the topic appropriately. (Outcome D, Competency #10)
* Choose diction that is specific as well as vivid and appropriate for college level academic writing. (Outcome F, Competency #15)
For more information about our course outcomes and competencies, please refer to our course syllabus.
Your book offers a variety of topic suggestions for the Explaining a Concept paper. You’ve probably noticed at all of the topics in the book seem relatively abstract or intangible.
All of these topics work well for these paper, so feel free to consider any of the suggestions in the book. However, I would also like to offer you an alternative.
Your topics for this paper, in my class, can also be concrete. Explain the concept of an “MP3 player,” or “digital technology,” or “ballistic defense.” How-to topics also often work well, such as how to skin a deer, how to weld, how to adopt the hobby of paint-by-number, how to burn DVDs, how to install Windows XP. Hobbies, or things that you do/are interested in doing, can work very well for this paper.
Other more concrete topics can also work, such as “mothering” or “fathering,” “manic depression,” and “Parkinson’s disease.” And jobs can work too. In the past, I have had some students who explained concepts such as being a Security Communications officer or being a real-estate agent.
In short, your options are broader than the suggestions in the book might seem. Topics for this paper may be very broad or very concrete—the choice is entirely yours.





